Reel Justice Film Series: '442'

442 is the second installment of the Japanese American trilogy following Toyo’s Camera – Japanese American history during WWII. The main staff is the same as the previous film, with veteran film director Junichi Suzuki, and the music score by Grammy winner and Golden Glove award winner Kitaro, and others.

During WWII, soldiers of the 442nd Infantry Regiment, composed mainly of Japanese Americans, fought not only the enemy but also prejudice, facing severe racial discrimination in their homeland. In these harsh times, however, the 442nd became one of the most decorated regiments for its size and length of service in the history of the United States military.

This film aims to reveal the history of the 442nd Infantry Regiment that is relatively unknown to not only the Japanese but also Americans. The 442nd was in an ironic predicament, fighting for a country that had branded them as enemies. However, these young men volunteered to fight and prove their loyalty as patriotic Americans, which defined their identity as they risked their lives for the cause. In the portrayal of their agonizing battles, the film addresses the meaning of being Japanese, and what it means to love one’s country through the eyes of Japanese American soldiers in the 442nd Infantry Regiment.